Testing of CoMatrixT Tower for Organic Removal and Filtration of Electrolyte0 pages

Testing of CoMatrix™ Tower
for Organic Removal and Filtration of Electrolyte
The filtration and removal of organic from the electrolyte stream is
essential for efficient plant operation. SpinTek recognized the need
to improve the performance of the organic removal and filtration
process prior to electrowinning. Objectives for this new organic
removal filter were:
a) Reduce capital cost by 60% over conventional SX filters.
b) Reduce current backwash consumption by at least half.
c) Find a better method for recovering the coalesced organic, in
a more concentrated form.
The new CoMatrix™ system design utilizes a matrix plate
coalescer, followed by an open tank area, coalescing media, and
filtration media.

Data from prototype tests were used to design the test unit that
generated the data presented in this report. The unit is 12" in
diameter to provide a square footage of 0.8 feet. The target for the
processing flow rate was 25 gpm/sqft, based on earlier field tests,
which translated to a 20 gpm flow rate for this particular test unit.
The unit is constructed of 316 stainless steel with PVC distributors
and piping. Valving on this field test unit is manually operated.
The CoMatrix test unit was equipped with numerous sample
ports to monitor system performance. A port for easy removal of
captured organic facilitated cleanup and backwashing of the media
beds. The unit was free standing and capable of operation on the
main electrolyte feed stream–the same as the existing SX
filters–without the necessity of any additional pumping.

E Q U I P M E N T

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SpinTek field-tested the new CoMatrix design in a working copper
mine to evaluate data in a real world situation. System requirements
identified:
a) Simple to operate.
b) Highly reliable.
c) Capable of handling the high flow rates encountered in the
solvent extraction industry.

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T E S T

O B J E C T I V E S

• Verify that system design dramatically lowers costs and improves
operational efficiency.
• Produce a highly concentrated organic for recovery and reuse in the
plant creating a viable alternative to current SX design.
• Reduce backwash to promote water conservation and more online
time for the coalescing/filtration system.
• Determine both the operation of the new system on normally
operating electrolyte streams of 30-40 ppm organic and also 800
ppm organic levels that could be experienced during plant upsets.

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The test was performed at a solvent extraction plant that operates a
number of SX filters and provides an excellent model of a well-run
plant with normally low organic levels in the electrolyte.
SpinTek installed a 12" diameter stainless steel CoMatrix unit
parallel with the existing SX filters. The stream was taken at the same
pressure as that fed to the existing filters. The effluent from the
CoMatrix was then sent back to the feed tank since this was a test
unit. As with an SX filter, a production CoMatrix would send the
effluent to electrowinning without the need for additional pumping.
The CoMatrix was continuously operated at 25 gpm per
square foot–five times the normal flow rate of existing SX filters.
The effluent organic level was monitored as it entered the unit, after
the matrix plate section and after the media beds. This test was to
determine the length of run that could be obtained on a CoMatrix
filter operated with 30ppm of organic in the electrolyte stream.
After testing was completed on the 30 ppm organic level, the unit
was moved to a settler effluent in order to obtain a feed stream of
electrolyte that was significantly higher in organic. The feed stream
from this location averaged 800 ppm organic. The stream was used to
simulate the operation of the CoMatrix filter during a plant upset.
CoMatrix,® Escondida – 1880 m3/hr.